Synthetic plastic film tape



Aug. 31, .1954 c. w. VOGT SYNTHETIC PLASTIC FILM TAPE Filed Aug. 9. 1951INVENTOR. CLARENCE W. VOGT WW 7 0M 61's H ORNEYS Patented Aug. 31, 1954TS PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to tapes formed of synthetic plastic filmand embodies an improved form of tape having means formed therein tofacilitate transverse tearing or rupturing thereof. The relatively greatresistance to tear in directions across the grain of tapes of thischaracter is well known and, in many uses, a characteristic of greatvalue. However, in some instances, this property becomes a disadvantageand renders the tape unsuitable for use.

Examples of tapes of this type are tapes formed of cellulose derivatives(e. g. regenerated cellulose, and cellulose esters and ethers) and ofsynthetic resins such as polyvinyl resins, polyethylene and polyacrylicesters. They are now widely used, and their properties well known. Inaccordance with the present invention, it is proposed to provide tapesof the above character with structural characteristics such that,without impairing their tensile strength, they may be easily torn byexerting suitable stresses thereon at one or both edges thereof.

To realize the foregoing object, such synthetic plastic film tapes areformed along one or both edges thereof with a plurality of relativelyclosely spaced slits or notches having angular apices providing weakenedpoints at which tearing will take place with the application ofrelatively little tearing stress.

In order that the invention may be better understood, it will bedescribed in connection with one specific use thereof and, to that end,reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 isa partial plan view showing the manner in which a plurality of tapes areformed from a single web in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing a modified tapeformation also constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 3 is an enlarged segmental view in detail showing one edge onlyof a tape formed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing a modified form of theinvention and wherein weakened portions are formed in the tape of adifferent shape and character than those illustrated in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 5 is a partial plan view of the elements in Figure 4 after theyhave been partially separated; 1

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a plurality of commoditiesconnected together by means of tapes formed in accordance with thepresent invention;

Figure 7 is a perspective view similar to Figure 6, but showing themanner in which the top pair of commodities is removed from theassembled group illustrated in Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a modified way in whichcommodities may be assembled by means of the tape structure of thepresent invention.

Referring to the above drawings, a synthetic plastic web is illustratedgenerally at Hi, this web being formed of any of the substanceshereinabove mentioned and. having the characteristic of great toughnessagainst tearing or shearing stresses across the grain. The specificmanner in which the length of tape is manufactured forms no part of thepresent invention, the characteristics of the present invention beingimparted to the tape whether it be of a single piece of desired lengthand width or whether it be formed of a web of a desired length but of awidth which is a multiple of a final width desired of the tape. If thematerial from which the final tape is to be made is wider than thedesired final width of the tape, it may be formed as illustrated inFigures 1, 2, 4, and 5.

In Figure 1, for example, the entire width of the web l0 may be severedinto three separate tapes H, 12, and [3, the tapes [I and [2 beingformed of the material along the marginal edge of the web 10, while thetape 12 is formed of the material of the intermediate portion of the web[0.

The tapes H, I2, and I3 are formed from the web I9 by means oflongitudinally extending cuts l4 and I5 and angularly extending cuts 16in tape ll, l1 and [8 in tape 12, and L9 in tape l3. It will be observedthat, in the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 1, the cuts 56parallel each other as do all of the cuts ll, l8, and I9, respectively,and that each out It lies in the same plane as a corresponding cut ll,while each cut l8 lies in the same plane as a corresponding cut [9.

It will also be seen that all of the cuts l6, l1, l8, and 19 lie atangles'to the respective cuts [4 and I5, and also to lines extendingtransversely of the tapes. Another important aspect of the inventionresides in the fact that the angularity of the respective cuts IE, IT,IS, and I9, as well as their length, is such that, when projected uponthe respective cuts 15 and 16, they will at least reach the point wherethe next adjacent out intersects the cuts 14 and 15. This structureinsures that there will always be a weakened edge portion available tofacilitate tearing along the edges of the tapes containing the cuts it,H, I8.

and i5} regardless of where the tearing stresses are applied. In thisfashion the tape l l is formed, along one edge only, with a multiplicityof closely adjacent cuts which serve to provide a great number ofweakened portions along the edge of the tape 5 l.

Referring to the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 2, a wideweb 213 is illustrated as being formed into four final tapes 2 l, 22,23, and 24 by means of longitudinal cuts 25, 26, and 21. Angular cuts28, 29, 30, 3|, 32, and 33 are formed in herringbone formation, asillustrated in Figure 2, of such angularity and length that theprojection of each cut upon the edge of the tape in which it is formedextends a distance at least as great as the intersection of the nextadjacent out with that edge. For example, referring to Figure 2, it willbe seen that the end 3 of one of the cuts 3!) lies in substantially thesame horizontal plane as the point 35 which is the intersection of thenext lower cut 38 with the cut or edge 26.

Figure 3 is an enlarged partial view of the cuts formed in any of thetapes ll, I2, 2 l, 22, or 23 and illustrates, more clearly, the mannerin which the inner ends of the cuts overlap (in a longitudinaldirection) the intersection of the next adjacent lower cut with the edgeof the cut.

In Figures 4 and 5, a slightly modified form of the invention isillustrated wherein a relatively wide web 36 is formed into three tapes3'!, 3B, and 39 by means of cuts 40, 4|, 42, and 43 which are formed aspinking cuts, the extremities of which are continued beyond theintersections of their angular sides. The cuts formed, as illustrated inFigures 4 and 5, insure an edge formation that is weakened substantiallyagainst tearing or shearing stresses. Not only do the notches formed bythe pinking cut provide points of weakness at which tearing readilyoccurs, but the extensions of such cuts in the manner illustrated in thedrawings further assures points of weakness at the inner extremities ofeach of the cuts. Here again it will be observed that the innerextremities of each of the cuts overlaps (in a longitudinal direction)the edge extremity of the next most adjacent and lower cut, asillustrated in Figures 4 and 5.

Tapes formed with the weakened edge portions hereinabove described areparticularly useful in assembling articles and commodities, asillustrated in Figures 6, '7, and 8. In Figures 6 and 7, for example, aplurality of commodities Hi, 45, 46, 47, 48 and 49 are assembledtogether in pairs and in stacked relationship. End tapes 5-9 and 5!serve to connect together each of the respective pairs 44, 45, 46, ll,and 48, 19. In the stacked relationship illustrated in Figure 6, sidetapes 52, 53 serve to maintain all of the pairs effectively as a rigidunit. If desired, transverse strips of any suitable translucent adhesivematerial 5 3 may be provided on the outer surface of one or more of therespective pairs 44, :25, 45, i! and 48, 49 in order to anchor therespective pairs more effectively in the assembled position illustratedin Figure 6.

To remove one or more of the pairs from the unit illustrated in Figure6, for example the upper pair, it is only necessary to twist such pairin either direction (counter-clockwise as illustrated in Figure '7) tocause the tapes 52 and 53 to tear at the meeting edges of the pair to beseparated and, if adhesive 54 is utilized, to rupture such adhesive. Theweakened portions in the tapes 52, 53 formed by the cuts as hereinabovedescribed permits separation of the pairs as above described with greatease, whereas if the tapes 52, 53 had not been formed with the weakenedportions, it would be extremely difficult to separate the pairs by thetwisting operation above described.

After one or more pairs have been separated from the multiple unit,individual elements may be separated from each other by splitting apartthe bonds formed by the tapes 5i], 5!. This is readily done by swingingthe articles away from each other about an axis coincidental with theadjacent corner edges of two adjacent articles. Here again the slitsformed in the tapes facilitate such separation.

In the form shown in Figure 8, the tapes of the present invention areutilized to secure a plurality of commodities 55, 56, 57, and 58together, end tapes 59 and 60 being utilized for this purpose in amanner similar to the tapes 5!] and 5!, while a single bottom tape BI isprovided to hold the articles in assembled relationship and againstmovement with respect to each other in parallel planes. The bottom tape8! provides strength against forces exerted upon the top of the unitthat would otherwise tend to separate the same by tearing the end tapesin the planes of the meeting edges of the articles. The articlesassembled into the unitary structure of Figure 8 are separated from eachother by twisting the articles with respect to each other in the meetingplanes of the articles to be separated in order to sever the side tape6! adjacent the plane of the contiguous sides of the articles beingseparated.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a tape of synthetic plastic filmmaterial has been provided having the well known tensile strengthinherent in such material, but at the same time having suitably formedweakened portions along one or more edges to facilitate tearing of thetape at a multiplicity of points.

While the invention has been described with specific reference to theaccompanying drawings, it is not to be limited save as defined in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A tape formed of a synthetic plastic film material having relativelyhigh tear strength and being formed along at least one edge thereof witha multiplicity of parallel slits each being inclined at an acute angleto the edge and extending inwardly therefrom, the angularity and lengthof the slits being such that the projection of the inner end of eachslit upon the adjacent edge of the tape at least reaches theintersection of an adjacent slit with such edge to form weakened pointsalong the length of the tape at which the resistance to tear of the tapeis substantially reduced.

2. A tape formed of a synthetic plastic film material having relativelyhigh tear strength and being formed along at least one edge thereof witha multiplicity of notches formed with inwardly directed angular apices,and parallel slits extending inwardly from the inwardly directed apices,each slit being in alignment with one of the edges of the notches toform points at which the resist ance to tear of the tape issubstantially reduced.

3. A tape formed of a plastic film material having relatively high tearstrength and being formed along at least one edge thereof with amultiplicity of notches formed with inwardly directed angular apices,and parallel slits extending inwardly from said inwardly directedapices, each slit being in alignment with one of the edges of thenotches to form points at which the resistance to tear of the tape issubstantially reduced, the

5 6 angularity and length of the slits being such that Number Name Datethe projection of the inner end of each slit upon 2,049,030 Strauss July28, 1936 the adjacent edge of the tape at least reaches the 2,159,355Goetze May 23, 1939 intersection of an adjacent slit with such edge.2,229,982 Mansur et a1 Jan. 28, 1941 5 2,240,274 Wade Apr. 29, 1941References Cited in the file of this patent 2,353,330 Ruzicka, Jan, 30,1945 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,508, 55 BIOWn May 23, 1950 2,584,074Wilkins Jan. 29, 1952 Number Name Date 2,047,982 Page July 21, 1936 10

1. A TAPE FORMED OF A SYNTHETIC PLASTIC FILM MATERIAL HAVING RELATIVELYHIGH TEAR STRENGTH AND BEING FORMED ALONG AT LEAST ONE EDGE THEREOF WITHA MULTIPLICITY OF PARALLEL SLITS EACH BEING INCLINED AT AN ACUTE ANGLETO THE EDGE AND EXTENDING INWARDLY THEREFROM, THE ANGULARITY AND LENGTHOF THE SLITS BEING SUCH THAT THE PROJECTION OF THE INNER END OF EACHSLIT UPON THE ADJACENT EDGE OF THE TAPE AT LEAST REACHES THEINTERSECTION OF AN ADJACENT SLIT WITH SUCH EDGE TO FORM WEAKENED POINTSALONG THE LENGTH OF THE TAPE AT WHICH THE RESISTANCE TO TEAR OF THE TAPEIS SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED.